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Mume (Taipei, Taiwan)

Mume, opened in 2014, is part of a wave of western-influenced restaurants to open in Taipei. The three chefs behind the restaurant have global backgrounds, having worked at Noma (Copenhagen), Quay (Sydney) and Per Se (New York) between them. They blend these techniques and influences with local Taiwanese ingredients to create an altogether different type of cuisine.

The menu is a la carte, divided into a few sections. Snacks are about $10, small plates range $16-20 and larger plates are $30-40. To create a meal for two, we ordered a handful of items from across each section.

Soft Poached Oyster local greens, cucumber, seaweed butter

Prawn shaved yam bean, prawn head sauce, ricotta snow

Wagyu Tartare clam mayo, confit egg yolk, preserved daikon

Country Sourdough smoked beef fat butter

Potato taiwanese bacon, creme fraiche, rosemary

Beef koji aged short rib, maitake, coffee

Custard Apple caramelized puff pastry, creme fraiche ice cream

Mume was a meal of hits and misses. The short rib dish was a very strong one; the meat was tender and beefy, complimented well by the coffee rub. However at over $40, I expected a larger portion (the beef was American). The wagyu tartare was another highlight with the confit egg yolk providing more richness and body to the dish. And the dessert was strong with its interplay of warm custard and cold ice cream, as well as sweet/sour notes. Less successful was the prawn dish; the prawn had a hard time standing out amidst strong ginger flavors. The potato disappointed as well – it was monotone and the Taiwanese bacon was hardly noticeable in the dish.